LEARN FROM OTHER PUBLISHERS IN THE INDUSTRY
What is the PUBLISHING INNOVATION FORUM?
The Publishing Innovation Forum (PIF) is returning in 2026 as a uniquely collaborative experience, blending the forward-thinking energy of an industry summit with the practical, community-driven focus of a user conference. This year, we aren’t just talking about the challenges facing publishers; we’re rolling up our sleeves to solve them together.
PIF will be built around strategic conversations about topics designed to bridge the gap between “the big picture” and your daily workflow. The two main sessions on Tuesday will follow a strategy-to-action flow:
Each Tuesday session begins with a PLENARY PRESENTATION
The publishing industry constantly encounters challenges and changes: Changing consumer landscapes, tariffs and environmental policies, shifts in technology, complications of AI, the ongoing rise of self-publishing, and more.
The plenary presentations and panel discussions that open each main session will each focus major challenges we face, helping us set the stage for our more detailed discussions and workshops.
After the plenary session, we’ll move into INTERACTIVE BREAKOUT SESSIONS
These won’t be typical conference breakout sessions with boring presentations and endless slide decks. Each breakout will include multiple engaging opportunities to enhance your skills and understanding:
- Targeted, practical user training that will help your team get the most out of Firebrand Group’s extensive set of products and services,
- Hands-on workshops,
- Peer-to-peer strategy circles,
- and other interactive and engaging elements.
Led by the teams at Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley, Supadu, and other invited experts, you’ll walk away from each breakout with a clear, actionable toolkit of advice, best practices, and peer-tested solutions to our industry’s biggest challenges.
Pulling it all together
On Wednesday morning, we will pull all the threads together, synthesizing what we have learned and the ideas we have discussed into a cohesive vision of the publishing future we all want to see.
In addition to the interactive and informative sessions, you will form real connections with other industry professionals through fun events, mealtime conversations, games and raffle drawings, and more.
Why Attend?
- Cross-Functional Solutions: Whether you’re in editorial, marketing, production, or management, you’ll find discussions and training that address your specific departmental hurdles.
- Peer-Powered Learning: Move beyond the “sit and listen” format with dedicated peer-to-peer sessions where you can swap stories, strategies, and solutions with other publishers facing the same challenges.
- Expert Access: Get direct, in-person access to specialists from Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley, and Supadu to brainstorm how to better leverage your tools and data.
- Actionable Takeaways: Every plenary session is backed by a practical breakout, ensuring you leave with a concrete plan of action rather than just a notebook full of theories.
- Community Connection: Connect with industry peers in person, building the professional relationships that make the publishing world feel a little smaller and more supported.
Who Should Attend?
While the breakout sessions will include some user training and solution-specific content, the PUBLISHING INNOVATION FORUM is open to anyone in the publishing industry interested in exploring how to navigate our ever-changing marketplace, including…
- Executives seeking insights and innovations to help move their companies forward.
- Publishing professionals in editorial, production, manufacturing, rights, design, ebook creation, and more!
- Marketing, publicity, and sales experts, along with anyone interested in finding new and innovative ways to increase book discoverability and sales.
- Corporate insights, business ops, and data analysts interested in data and reporting strategies, best practices, and innovations.
The Publishing Innovation Forum is presented by the Firebrand Group—a global collection of companies including Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley, and Supadu Ltd—offering comprehensive technology solutions to nurture book publisher success. The companies within Firebrand Group are owned by Media Do International (MD-i), the US-based subsidiary of Japan’s Media Do Co., Ltd, one of the largest ebook distribution companies in the world retaining the largest share of Japan’s ebook market. For more information on Media Do’s services and corporate divisions, visit mediado.jp/english.